...an award-nominated Irish blog on Irish history and Irish politics-from today and yesterday:all 32 Counties !Updated a number of times each week . (Mirror site here)

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"1169 And Counting is a wealth of information on our Republican past and present , and demonstrates how the Irish political landscape , like that of any nation, will never be a black and white issue..."

IRISH BLOG AWARDS 2017 - ooops! It seems that our entry application was "not completed in time to be considered.." (?) and, as such, we are not now in the running. But we wish all the best to the successful entrants and to the organisers, and we hope all goes well for them on the day!

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

LAW IN DISORDER.......

The state trumpets every drugs seizure as a major victory over the barons. But the war against drugs is really a murky world characterised by botched operations , questionable use of informers and ego-driven squabbles between the Garda Siochana and customs officials.Mairead Carey gets the inside story.From 'MAGILL' magazine , August 2002.

It is not known exactly how much of the 2,000 kilos of cannabis that garda informant Edward Keating claimed to have imported into Ireland in controlled deliveries was ever seized : in 1996 , gardai seized a total of 1,993 kilos of cannabis resin in the State , involving 3,233 cases , and the following year they seized 1,247 kilos.

But Cork criminal Tommy O' Callaghan and his gang was only one of many bringing drugs into the State at that time : "There was at least a hard core of a dozen gangs , operating on an international level , bringing drugs into Ireland in the mid-90's...." , says 'Sunday World' crime correspondent , Paul Williams - ".....the 'Penguin' , George Mitchell , was the biggest operator. His people were caught trying to set up an E-factory in a farm shed in Dublin capable of turning out ecstasy with a street value of a couple of million a week.

Mitchell later developed major links with the Russian mafia and Colombian cartels . Now , he is regarded as one of the biggest drug barons in Europe. There was John Noonan , from Fairview , in Dublin, who was the target of the Urlingford operation , and there was obviously John Gilligan's gang and Tommy Savage , ex-INLA , and Mickey Weldon , both of whom went on to become major international players......."(MORE LATER).

THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.

" We were told that a telephone call had been received from the Department of Transport and Power that a plane was chartered to bring a cargo of 6.8 tons of arms and ammunition from Hamburg to Dublin Airport for the use of the Garda and the Army and that a Captain Kelly's name was associated with the charter. The Department asked if it was in order to facilitate the flight. I was told that the receiving officer had communicated the message to Garda HQ for observations.

We returned to the Minister and I told him of the enquiry , adding that this was the Military Intelligence Officer of whom he had adverse police reports in September/October 1969 . Mr Ward , too, mentioned reports which had come to his notice in my absence on sick leave : the Minister was in a quandry as to what to do and I suggested that we should tell Transport and Power that it was in order for the cargo to come and that we would seize it on arrival at Dublin Airport.

The Minister asked why should we not stop it at Hamburg and I said that by seizing the arms we would be depriving the IRA of trying again later , that we would be putting a drain on their financial resources. The Minister approved , and mentioned that it had been his intention to leave that evening - it was now about 5.30pm - for his constituency but that he would stay over until I would report to him as early as I could on Saturday......."(MORE LATER).

EXCLUSIVE !! WE NAME THE LOSERS IN THE 27TH OCTOBER 2011 FREE STATE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION......

Seven candidates , each representative of the same or slightly different 'economic class' in this corrupt State (ie the wealthy or the very wealthy) would like you to vote for them on the 27th of this month to ensure that they become ever wealthier ; the 'winner' will receive a weekly salary of €5187 for , basically, entertaining 'fellow dignitaries' in a posh State-funded mansion in the Phoenix Park in Dublin ; up until recently , that position paid €6781 a week , but sure we're all feeling the pinch.....

One candidate looks like rigamortis has already set-in , physically as well as mentally ,and he lives his live through the poems he has read and memorised - a handy way to impress the aforementioned 'dignitaries' , I suppose - and is being supported by the State Labour Party who, between them, wouldn't recognise a days labour even if it was pointed out to them by James Connolly , whilst another candidate , a self-declared gay man, is said by the media to be almost blind and fond of the drink, and has been 'doing-the-double' for the last 16 years ie claiming disability benefit (of €2500 a month!) whilst 'working' as a State Senator.

A third contestant is a millionaire businessman who was a member of the Fianna Fail 'National Executive' whilst that party was operating its 'Galway Tent' policies (see 'Have-A-Flutter...' , here) , one of the two female candidates is a singer who is closely associated with right-wing 'catholicism' whilst the other is a 'charity worker' and 'Board-Member-For-Hire' who, between both 'professions', recently banked €390,000. One of the remaining male candidates is a leading-light in the right-wing 'Fine Gael' political party whilst the other is a leading-light in a so-called 'Irish Republican' political party and helps to administer British rule in the Stormont puppet 'parliament' in the Occupied Six Counties.

However : as per our headline , we will now 'name the losers' - YOU , the voters! Or , at least, those of you who claim your ballot and fill it in in the manner that is expected of you. But there is a way by which you can claim your ballot , fill it in - and exclude yourself from the 'Losers Circle' : by purposely spoiling it ! Write a wee 'message' on it , such as 'NOTA' , or something stronger!But please remember : the candidates asking you to vote for them are representative of those that told you to 'Vote Yes For Jobs' in the Lisbon referendum - how's that workin' for ya ? - or are representative of those that make a very good living from your 'Yes' vote : as George Bush Junior tried to say - "Fool me once , shame on you , fool me twice , shame on me".Don't get fooled (again) - vote 'NOTA' in the State Presidential election on 27th October 2011 : you don't owe anything to those candidates , so give them just that : nothing!Thanks,Sharon.